Life, Love, and in the end Happiness
by potterqueen86
Summary: life is always changing and people with it. fem!merlin/OC I suck at summaries.
1. PROLOG

Life, Love, and in the end Happiness.

By Potterqueen86

Disclaimer: Don't own Merlin or his fiends. I just play with them.

I only own the OC: Knight Justin: with his long light brown hair, green/brown eyes, and a body like Derek Morgan only white.

Prolog:

Pain is what Merlin felt first. Then cold and wet. ( It has been raining for 3 days now.) She wondered were she was and how she got there. All she remembers is coming

back from cleaning the stables. Then pain in the back of her head, then nothing. She then started to hear her name being called. Merlin could hear people around her.

Then she felt herself being lifted up into strong but gentle arms and carried some were. Merlin then felt herself being laid down on to something soft and something

very warm pulled over her. After that she knew no more.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: [] = thinking

"" = talking

[Merlin's late] Arthur thought. So he got up and dressed to look for her. Just so he can yell at her. As he moved through the castle, all seamed quiet. When he got to Gaius's rooms there was a commotion coming form the opposite direction. Arthur stops to see what it was. Coming towage him was Percival with Merlin, Arthur's maid servant, in his arms. Behind him was the rest of the Round table group. Arthur moved to the door and opened it for them and followed them into the room. "What happened?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know. We found her like that in the stocks and it looks like she's been there all night." Leon said. "SOMEONE LOCKED HER IN THE STOCKS!" Arthur hollered. As they stood there, facing the door, waiting for Gaius and Lancelot strip Merlin of her wet garments and for Gaius to check for any injuries. Arthur went up to her room to get her blanket. He feels that it is cold in the room. He grabs the blanket from the bed and sees that it is very thin. It felt even thinner then it looked. This was not sitting well with Arthur. He brought it and some dry, thin, clothes down for her. Buy that time they got Merlin dried and got her into the clothes Arthur got. They placed her on Gaius's bed in front of the fire in the fireplace. "How is she Gaius?" Elyan asked. "She will be fine in time. She has knot on the back of her head and she may get sick form this." Gaius said, directing that last part to Arthur. "It's fine. She can have as long it takes to get better." Arthur said. He then turned to the other knights and start giving out orders. "Gwain, Elyan ask around the city to see if anyone knows anything. Leon and I will ask in the castle. Percival and Lancelot will stay here to help and guard the room." They look at Arthur with the question of why in their eyes. "Someone may have taken her out to get me or they did it to be spiteful." With that they scattered to do their tasks.


	3. Chapter 2

A few hours later the knights (not Lancelot, he's still with Merlin.) met back their meeting room. "What have you found?" Arthur asked. "Word in the tavern is that there is a guard named pipin, boasting that he put a servant in their place. And that he is new to Camelot. " Gwaine said. "Some of the servants have been talking about a new guard that is being mean to them. They say that he has been threatening them. That if they told he will come after them. And they also say that Merlin has been standing up to him a lot." Leon said. "I say we go and find him and pound his head in." Gwaine said. "We should wait for Merlin to wake and let her decide." Percival suggested. As they talk it out, Arthur was deep in thought about Merlin's room. [Why was that blanket so thin and why haven't she replaced it? I know she gets paid eighth. I need answers.] Arthur thought. "Arthur, what do you think?" Elyan asked. "About what." Arthur said. "This guard that hurt Merlin" Elyan said. "I say we wait for Merlin to wake. To see what she wants to do." Arthur said. With the meeting now done, the knights went to do the jobs they still need to get done. Arthur went to check on Merlin. He walked into the room and saw she was still asleep. He sat in the only chair next to Merlin. Lancelot was on a stool on her other side facing the door. He knotted to Arthur as he sat down. Arthur was thing about asking Gaius about what Merlin does with her money. He got his chance when Lancelot left the room to get them something to eat. "Gaius can you help me understand something about Merlin?" Arthur asked. "Of course I can. What is it you want to know? Gaius answered. "Do you know what Merlin dose with her money? I know it is not spent in the tavern; Gwaine set me straight on that. But when I got her blanket, it felt and looked like it was falling apart. And why doesn't she use magic to keep the room warm, it was cold in there." Arthur asked. "Not when we got people in and out of here at all time of day and night. And with only you and a hand full of others knowing she has magic, she is still a risk. And from what I know, she sends a good portion to her mother and helps me with food and taxes. What's left get put up for emergencies when needed." Gaius explained. Arthur was floored about what he heard. If Gwaine had not set him straight, he would have thought Merlin spent her money in the tavern. But now Arthur knew better and he did not like it one bit. But how can he help without looking like he is. As he thought about it, Lancelot walked in with the food. They sat in silence for some time. In that time Gwen came to see Merlin. "Why not move her to her room?" Gwen asked. "It's to cold and no fireplace to warm it up in there." Gaius answered. "Well why not put her some were else?" Gwen asked. "Why not move Merlin into one of the geust rooms closes to Gaius's rooms. It'll have a fireplace to warm it and space for when the other knights come to check on her." Gwen suggested. " That is a wonderful idea Gwen." Arthur exclaimed. Gwen left to have the room prepared for them. It will take little time to set up and warm up. While that was getting done, Arthur sat by Merlin's side, thinking about what Gaius said about Merlin and punishment for the guard . But that can wait for latter. In just a little time the room was ready for them. They move Merlin to the new room and got her comfortable. Now she was safe and still out of it.


	4. Chapter 3and4

The next day after lunch Merlin started to come around. She felt overly hot, cold, and had a pounding head. Her chest felt like Percival was sitting on it. She tried to take a deep breath and ended up coughing up her lungs. Both Gaius and Leon came running over to help sit her up, helping her to breathe better. "Easy Merlin, take slow and steady breaths. That's it, in and out." Gaius instructed. "Gaius why do I feel like stepped on crap?" Merlin whispered. Leon and Gaius looked at each other over Merlin's head. "Merlin what is the last thing you remember?" Leon asked. "Just putting Arthur to bed, and then going out to clean out the stables. After that it's a little fuzzy and painful." Merlin replied. As Merlin was speaking, she stated to shivering. Gaius handed her a cup of warm broth. When she was done with that, he checks her over. Other then a nice size bump on her head and a bad cold, she was fine. As they were sitting there talking, Merlin started to fall back to sleep. They helped her lay back down, be for her head hit the pillow she was out like a light. "I will let Arthur know that she woke up and inform his on what she remembers." Leon said as he was heading for the door. Gaius just knotted. As Leon was leaving the room, Gwaine walks in. It was his turn to sit with them.

Leon found Arthur as he was coming out of a meeting. The guard, pipin, was trying to look invisible. "My king. Merlin woke up for a brief time. She told me what she remembers, sadly it not much. All she remembers is putting you to bed and cleaning the stables. She did not see who hit her." Leon informed.

"Thank you sir Leon. I will check on her later in the day." Arthur said. They were watching the guard, pipin, out of the corners of their eyes. They see the nasty smirk forming on his face at what is being said. Arthur had to restrain himself from punching the jerk in the face. They turned and walked away. [He he, that will teach the little peasant not to humiliate me in front of other people. I just might like to hit her again, just to be on the safe side. I will fine her ad really give it to her.] Pipin thought. That just put an evil smile on his face. He didn't notices that he was being watched by Knight Justin. Justin is a close friend of Merlin and is secretly in love with her. Only Merlin does not know it, only Gwen knows. Justin also knows about Merlin's magic. She knows that he knows. Justin can see magic and can tell if it is good or bad magic. He can do the same with people. Justin sees that Pipin is a bad person. When he heard that Merlin was found and that she was hurt, he wanted to hunt down the person and kill him. For no one will hurt his Merlin and get away with it. But he stayed his hand. When his shift was done he was going to see Gaius, to offer his assistants to take care of Merlin.

When Justin's time was up, he heads to Gaius's room to see if he can be of any help. "Hello Justin, I was wondering when you were coming to help with Merlin." Gwen said when she saw him in the hall outside Gaius room. Justin just smile at her. "What is your interest with Merlin, Sir Justin?" Arthur asked. "I have known Merlin for many years. She is one of my dearest friends in the entire kingdom. I would do anything for her." Justin said. Arthur could tell that Justin was being sincere and that he cared for Merlin very much.

Justin may not come out and said it, but Arthur can see it in his eyes. It was the same look Arthur would get when looking at Gwen. "My Lord has it been decided on what pipin' punishment will be?" Justin asked. "No, we must speak with Merlin first. Then it can be decided. We also must be careful he may try again." Arthur said. As they were talking, they moved to the room that Merlin was resting in. They were intercepted by Gwaine coming out of the room. "Bad new fellas, word got out that it was Merlin who got attack. The other servant's are starting get nerviest. They are starting to think that castle is not safe at night." Gwaine said. "First we need to talk to Merlin and fine out what she wants to do. Then we can set up a plan." Arthur decided. With that said he walk into the room with Gwaine, Gwen, and Justin behind him. When Justin saw Merlin in that bed, with her sweaty face and lightly rosy cheeks, his heart melted and broke at the same time. If he could he would rap Merlin in wool and never let go of her. But he knows that he must let Merlin stand on her own two feet. And be there with the others to catch her, for when she falls.


End file.
